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5 Pet Care Wives Tales Exposed - Dr Mark Tells All!

As pet owners we are constantly trying
to follow new ideas, the top advice and do what is best for our pets. It
is our job to keep them safe and to care for them in the best possible
way we can. In this article Dr Mark exposes 5 common wives tales that
you may not realise are doing more harm than good to your beloved furry
friend.

Pssst chocolate kills dogs, pass it on!

Home cooked food is better for your dog

A
healthy dog on the inside is going to make a happy and healthy dog on
the outside. Putting high quality pet food in your pets bowl is going to
give them the energy and nutritional needs to help them get the most
out of each day. There are people who thrive on giving their pet a home
cooked meal, which is great, however this should only be practised if
you are completely aware of the full nutritional requirements that is
going into each meal. Your pet needs certain levels of protein, fat,
fibre and minerals to perform at their best and be at top health. The
premium food manufactures have done the scientific studies to produce a
tailored product to suit an animal’s daily requirements, so if in
doubt, it’s best to feed your pet a diet that has been made by the
professionals.

A wet nose means a healthy dog

It
is true that a dog’s nose is most often moist so therefore we relate it
their health, however don’t be fooled as it is still possible for an
ill dog to have a wet nose and a healthy dog to have a dry nose! Your
pet’s nose is actually not a reliable way to measure their health and
can in fact be influenced by environmental conditions. The wives tale is
said to have began when Canine Distemper was rife and one of the
symptoms was a dry crusty nose. A better way to measure your pet’s
health can be by tracking their appetite and energy levels.

Use garlic to prevent fleas and ticks

While
giving garlic to pets as a pesticide preventive is favourable for some
pet owners, it is important to remember that garlic can be associated
with toxicities as well. If given in large quantities to pets it can
destroy red blood cells and lead to haemolytic anemia. A sprinkle of
garlic on your pet’s food might not cause them harm, but it is also
unlikely that a small safe dose will be enough to have an effect when it
comes to flea and tick prevention. A much safer option of flea control
is to use a well known brand such as Frontline Plus, Revolution or Advocate.

Bad teeth and gum disease won’t cause pets pain

When
we have a toothache or gum disease we take ourselves to the dentist,
the process is not as easy for dogs so therefore it is up to pet owners
to be responsible and take care of their pet’s dental hygiene. Many pets
suffer in silence from cracked teeth and infections simply because
nobody notices or most commonly it is presumed they are fine because
they still eat. Pets will continue to eat even when suffering and just
learn to put up with it because it’s what they do to survive. Make sure
you regularly check your dog’s teeth, use dental products and dental treats that are designed to help clean and freshen your pet’s teeth.

Chocolate can kill dogs

Finally
a wives tale that speaks some solid truth- chocolate does pose a huge
risk to pets and has known to sadly cause death for some animals.
Chocolate contains theobromine, which is a potent, potentially lethal
toxin for pets. Unlike humans, our pets can’t metabolise these chemicals
properly and are susceptible to the toxic effects. Theobromine levels
differ between types of chocolate. Baking/cooking chocolate are the most
toxic, followed by semi-sweet and dark chocolate, and finally milk
chocolate. Majority of cases take place around seasonal times of the
year, so with Easter fast approaching, keep chocolate eggs well out of
reach of any household pets!